Aunna, born and raised in rural Alaska, is a graduate of Princeton University, with a A.B. degree in Economics and certificates in Gender Studies and Political Economy. She has long been passionate about improving the lives of girls and women across the global community. Her public service experience spans all levels of government including acting as a student representative on her local school board, working for the Governor of Alaska (including Governor Palin), and serving as a United States Senate Page. Prior to Pasand, she worked as a Consultant in Deloitte's Federal practice in Washington, D.C. where she focused on data analytics, supply chain, and public health. Pasand was inspired by Aunna's experience during her time at Udayan Care and her own academic research regarding a need to address health education and confidence, specifically around menstruation, for girls in India and around the world. Aunna is currently residing in Bangalore, India.

Sowmya PH, Program Manager

Sowmya was born and raised in Bangalore and graduated from a NMKRV College for Women, an autonomous institution, with a Masters Degree in Women’s Studies, where she conducted a research study on “Indian Cinema, towards a cultural change” and pursued a certification course on Women, Health and Nutrition. Sowmya discovered a passion for working with women and children and issues they face while in college. Sowmya has three years of experience working in the development sector in Bangalore through her work on skills-based training in government and low-cost private schools. LinkedIn

Sharmada Shastry, Program Executive

Sharmada was born in Bengaluru and spent a large part of her childhood reading obscure writers and disconsolate tales. As years passed by, she completed her graduation in English from Christ University, Bengaluru and moved to Hyderabad to do a short stint at Facebook. She spent the last two years of her life in a quaint, little town by the sea, where she obtained a Master's degree in English from the Manipal Centre for Philosophy and Humanities. Her Master's dissertation is entitled 'Between Women: Exploring Representations of Same-Sex Desire in Indian Films and Fiction'. Her areas of personal and academic interest are Gender & Sexuality and Indian Literature. She is also a reclusive poet and several of her pieces have been published in Raed Leaf Poetry Journal and The Brown Boat, among others. Sharmada believes that there is a deep need to document women's experiences and histories as they mirror the cultural landscape of societies. In this regard, some of her research papers include 'Ritual Pollution in Hinduism: The Case of Menstruating Women'; 'On the Other Side of the Looking Glass: Understanding Body Hair Removal Practices in India' and 'When Bodies Speak Through Nature: Externalization of Female Consciousness in Ambai's Fiction'. She has also completed a certificate course titled 'Violence Against Women' from Catherine of Siena Virtual College.